When I read this book I came to realize why this particular piece of literature is on the "Outstanding Books List." First of all, it is a great piece of work (go figure huh?), but secondly it is a great way to think about what is going on in the world today. Although this book takes place during the Great War, also known as World War One, it parallels the things that are going on in the world now. Paul, a young man fighting for Germany, decides he wants to join the army with all of his buddies. They all join up together, go through bootcamp, and all those wondeful things. However, the boys begin to realize something after those 10 weeks of brutal bootcamp and after starting life out on the front lines. They realize that all this nationlism and patriotism that lead them to where they are now was really just a cliche. They went from thinking that what they were doing was honorable and glorious to living in a constant state of fear. I found this to resemble what is going on today in our own country. Young men are being pulled into the military and being sent overseas, but after being there for awhile these young men and women begin to realize that all the hype was leading them to nothing.
This book is also very realistic. Even though it is a fictional story these types of things did happen. World War One really was a horrible war. Most of the men were physically wounded or killed. In this particular company 150 men were there at the beginning, but by the time we are in the story there are only 80 left (Remarque 10). If a man was even lucky enough to survive, he wouldn't be lucky enough to leave unscathed. Not only were most of them wounded at least once, but they were also usually mentally scarred. Every day they would see men who they had become close friends with be blown to pieces, and this novel portrays that very well.
On the cover of this book it says, "The Classic War Novel of All Time," and after reading this i would agree with that statement. It is a wonderful piece of writing that still has lessons that can be taught even today.
Would I Suggest This Book?
Yes, I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who can handle it. It is not a light book to read, however. It is a war novel, but if you can get through the violence and struggles of war it is very worth it.
Works Cited
Remarque, Erich Maria.All Quiet on the Western Front. New York: Ballantine Books, 1928
All Quiet on the Western Front
By: Erich Maria Remarque
When I read this book I came to realize why this particular piece of literature is on the "Outstanding Books List." First of all, it is a great piece of work (go figure huh?), but secondly it is a great way to think about what is going on in the world today. Although this book takes place during the Great War, also known as World War One, it parallels the things that are going on in the world now. Paul, a young man fighting for Germany, decides he wants to join the army with all of his buddies. They all join up together, go through bootcamp, and all those wondeful things. However, the boys begin to realize something after those 10 weeks of brutal bootcamp and after starting life out on the front lines. They realize that all this nationlism and patriotism that lead them to where they are now was really just a cliche. They went from thinking that what they were doing was honorable and glorious to living in a constant state of fear. I found this to resemble what is going on today in our own country. Young men are being pulled into the military and being sent overseas, but after being there for awhile these young men and women begin to realize that all the hype was leading them to nothing.
This book is also very realistic. Even though it is a fictional story these types of things did happen. World War One really was a horrible war. Most of the men were physically wounded or killed. In this particular company 150 men were there at the beginning, but by the time we are in the story there are only 80 left (Remarque 10). If a man was even lucky enough to survive, he wouldn't be lucky enough to leave unscathed. Not only were most of them wounded at least once, but they were also usually mentally scarred. Every day they would see men who they had become close friends with be blown to pieces, and this novel portrays that very well.
On the cover of this book it says, "The Classic War Novel of All Time," and after reading this i would agree with that statement. It is a wonderful piece of writing that still has lessons that can be taught even today.
Would I Suggest This Book?
Yes, I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who can handle it. It is not a light book to read, however. It is a war novel, but if you can get through the violence and struggles of war it is very worth it.
Works Cited
Remarque, Erich Maria.All Quiet on the Western Front. New York: Ballantine Books, 1928